Rotary retort



c. B. WISNER ROTARY RETORT Filed April 17'. 1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. B. WISNER ROTARY RETOR'I' July 24, 1934.

7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 17, 1929 gwmnkfi C19. Ms/zer July 24, 1934. Q w N 1,967,762

ROTARY RETORT Filed April 17, 1929 "r Sheets-Sheet C. B. WISNER ROTARY REIORT July 24, 1934.

Filed April 17, 1929 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 [I 19! mar C. B. WISNER July 24, 1934.

ROTARY RETORT Filed April 1'7, 1929 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Jui 24, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE ROTARY RETORT Clarence B. .Wisner, Orange, N. J., assignor, by

mesne assignments, .to Coal Process corpora.- tion, Dover, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application April 17, 1929, Serial No. 355,913

35 Claims. (01. 202-218) The invention relates to rotary cylinder retorts used for heat treating materials, and especially for the low temperature carbonization of coal by the processes set forth in my Letters Patent No. 1,490,357 of April 24, 1924, and in mypending application filed August '1, 1926, Serial No. 127,942, matured in Letters Patent No. 1,756,896, of April 29, 1930, for Coal ball manufacture, of which latter application the present application is a continuation of certain common subject matter.

The object of the present improvement is to increase the capacity of the retort. In the indirect heating of fuels in a revolving container all of the heat absorbed by the fuel must neces-.

sarily pass through the steel plate wall of the container. In the low temperature carbonization of solid fuels giving 01]? their volatile hydrocarbons at' critical temperatures, the best results are obtained by heating the coal to a maximum temperature, not exceeding 975 F. which releases all, or practically all of the tar vapors,

reduces the volatile in the coke product to less than 15 percent, and gives an ideal smokeless fuel. r

Great difliculty has been experienced in getting a commercial throughput because of the low temperature difference that must not be exceeded, because the steel in the rotary retort will no stand a constant temperature much in excess say 1100 F., and the fuel must be heated .o at least 900 F. Under these conditions the coal, preheated to say 550 F. beforeit enters the carbonizing retort, must flow through the plastic stage in a very thin stream, say at the rate of 5 pounds per square foot of wall surface of the fuel container.

That is to say, in a retort in which the diameter of the fuel containeris 8 feet, the wall surface will approximate 25 square feet per foot of length, and a charge of 5 pounds per square foot will equal 125 pounds per foot of length. If the length is 125 feet, the maximum amount of coal that the container will hold at one time is 15,625 pounds, and if the carbonizing time is one hour, then the hourly capacity is less than 8 tons per hour.

I have discovered that if the above described thin stream is maintained until the fuel has passed through the plastic or softened stage, which may last from 10 to 15 minutes, and the coal formed into balls with a coke structure, at the point where these balls begin to harden, the depth of bed may beiincreased from 5 pounds per square foot of wall surface upto 10 to 15 pounds per square foot for the remainder of the time required to reduce the volatile in the ballsto the extent desired, say to 15 percent or less.

This increasing of the depth of coal bed in the discharge end of the coal container will considerably increase the hourly throughput of fuel through the retort, but I have also carried on full sized operations in which the wall surface of the container at the intake end of the retort was increased by inserting as a part of the fuel container quadrant tubes with narrow flues surrounding the quadrants.

In this way I have increased the wall surface of the container per foot of length from 25 square feet per foot of length, to 50 square feet per foot of length, and by the use of sextant tubes in place of quadrants, the wall surface may be increased to 60 square feet per foot of length; which sector tubes may be inserted either for the entire length of the fuel container, or they may be limited to that part of the container in which the fuel passes through the plastic stage.

By so proportioning the number and size of sector tubes that each one comprises a carbonizing container substantially equal in wall surface and cross area to a cylindric retort having a diameter of four feet, it is evident that each one of the sector tubes will give approximately one square foot of heating wall surface per cubic foot of retort volume, which has been found to be the best unit ratio of volume to surface in a rotary retort.

And by forming the surrounding flues with a uniformly narrow width of from two to two and one-half inches, for each 60 feet of length, or a corresponding width for greater lengths, the maximum transfer of heat through the walls of the tubes is obtained from a minimum volume of heating gases, by flowing the same'through the narrow flues at a high velocity of say 50 feet per second and upwards.

The invention also involves ancillary improvements in detail features of the construction and gas-tight swivel joints which may be embodied in the retort for insuring the practical and proper operation of the same, all as illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the fuel intake end portion of the improved retort;

Fig. 2, a side elevation, partly in section, of the fuel discharge end portion of the improved retort;

Fig. 3, an enlarged longitudinal section of the intake and discharge ends of the improved retort;

Fig. 4, a cross section of the sector tubes, the central tube and the surrounding cylinder, on line 44, Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5, an elevation of the intake end of the sector tube retorts, showing the tapered extension and the surrounding hood in cross section on line 5-5, Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 6, an enlarged axial section of the intake end of the retort, showing the gas outlet pipe as on line 66, Fig. 7;

Fig. 7, a front elevation of the intake head of the retort; V

Fig. 8, a plan section through the intake head, on line 8-8, Fig. '7;

Fig. 9, an enlarged section through the swivel joint as at 36, Fig. 3;

Fig. 10, a fragmentary section, showing details of a sector-flue locking bolt;

Fig. 11, a side elevation, partly in section and considerably contracted, of a modified form of the retort;

Fig. 12, a view of the hood at the fuel intake end of the retort;

Fig. 13, a view of the hood at the fuel discharge end of the retort; and

Fig. 14, a cross section on line 1414, Fig. 11, of the modified form of the retort.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the illustration of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the main cylindric shell 20 of the retort may have a diameter of some 8 feet and a length of some 60 feet, and may be made of inch plate steel, completely covered on the outside by asbestos 20a or the like, to retain heat within the retort.

A plurality of sector tubes 21, preferably made of inch plate steel, are mounted within the cylindric shell parallel to the axis thereof, and as four sector tubes are shown, they will sometimes be referred to specifically as quadrant tubes; but it will be understood that a larger number of sector tubes may be used.

As best seen in Fig. 4, the quadrant tubes 21 are suitably proportioned and spaced inward from the cylindric shell to form an annular flue 22 about 2% inches wide, completely surrounding the arcuate walls 21a of the quadrant tubes,

and extending the entire length of the cylindric shell; and they are likewise spaced apart to form the radial flues 23 about 2 inches wide, extending the entire length of the quadrant tubes, and all communicating inwardly with each other (as below described) and outwardly with the annular flue throughout its length.

The central angle of the quadrant tubes may be slightly truncated to form comparatively narrow tangent walls 210 and within the square space formed by the tangent walls of the radiant tubes, is preferably located a central or axial core tube 24, which may be round in section and 16 or more inches in diameter, so as to form four somewhat triangular flues 25 between the walls of the core tube and the tangent walls of the quadrant tubes; which triangular flues communicate with' each other at a width of about 2 inches and with the corresponding radial flues of a similar width, so that the radial fiues thus communicate inwardly with each other throughout the length of the quadrant tubes.

The proper spacing of the quadrant tubes within the cylindric shell and with respect to each other, may be accomplished by the use of series of comparatively short angle flange clips 26, secured as by welding to the walls of the quadrant tubes, and to enable the quadrant tubes to be readily entered endwise into the cylindric shell, a series of bolts 26a, instead of the angle flanges, may be provided in one radial wall and in two of the tangent walls of adjacent quadrant tubes, which bolts may be retracted by unscrewing, to give freedom of movement until the tubes are all placed within the cylindric shell, after which they may be screwed to abut the opposing wall for securely and permanently locking the quadrant tubes in proper position within the cylindric shell around the core tube, as shown in Fig. 4.

The angle clips and locking bolts hold the tubes firmly against the retort wall, but allow for any unequal expansion arising from variations in the temperature between the quadrant tubes and the surrounding cylindric shell; it being understood that the bearing of the spacing flanges and locking bolts on the quadrant tubes against the wall of the cylindric shell is such as will permit a longitudinal movement of the one within the other, while if necessary, a sufficient number of these bearings at one end or the other or at an intermediate point may be secured by angle clips on the retort wall to prevent a rotary movement of the quadrant tubes within the cylindric shell and to cause them to rotate together as a unit.

As best seen in Fig. 5, the square opening between the tangent inner walls at each end of the quadrant tubes is completely closed by substantially square steel plates 27, the edges of which are preferably welded to the end edge portions of the quadrant tubes, and these plates completely close the ends of the core tube 24 and the ends of the triangular flues around the same, the ends of which core tube preferably abut and are welded to the inner faces of the square plate 27.

Likewise, the spaces between the radial wall 21b of the quadrant tubes at each end thereof, are completely closed by the radial plates or bars 28, which may be entered and welded between the end edge portions of the radial walls of adjacent quadrant tubes; and the ends 28a and 28b of these bars are suitably flared in width to completely fill the space between the ends of the radial walls of the quadrant tubes, outward to the circumferential line of the arcuate walls thereof; thus completely closing the ends of the radial flues formed between the quadrant tubes.

Truncated cone-shaped extensions 29 and 30 are secured to the intake end and the discharge end, respectively, of the quadrant tubes, as by means of rim flanges 29a and 30a telescoping upon and completely around the ends of the arcuate walls of the tubes, as well as the outer ends of the radial bars 28, to which walls and bars the rim flanges are preferably permanently secured as by welding.

The conical extensions 29 and 30 as common headers form intake and discharge chambers respectively communicating freely with the ends of the quadrant tubes without, however, communicating with any of the fiues between or,

round the same; so that a charge of fuel or the like can flow freely from the conical intake chamber to the conical discharge chamber and will be equally distributed to the quadrant tubes, when the retort is rotated upon its axis, which is slight- 1y inclined from the horizontal in the manner to be described.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cylindric shell is provided with a plurality oftrack rings 31 suit ably spaced along its length for properly supporting the retort; which track rings ride upon suitable rollers '32, so positioned as to give the axis of the retort, a sumcient inclination from the horizontal from the fuel intake to the fuel discharge end, to cause the charge to flow or move from the one end to the other of the quadrant tribes, by a rotation of the retort upon its axis, which rotation may be accomplished by a rack ring 33, driven by a pinion 34 to which suitable power may be applied; and thrust-bearing rolls 32a may be provided for one or more of the track rings.

A stationary hood or housing is located around the intake end of the retort, and may in clude a cylindric portion 35a somewhat larger in diameter than the cylindric shell, one end overlapping and surrounding the end of the shell and being provided .with an intervening, gas-tight, swivel joint 36, and also a truncated cone shaped portion 35b on the other end surrounding the end portion of the conical extension 29 on the intake ends of the quadrant tubes 21; so as to form an enlarged heating gas chamber 3'7 around the same, communicating with the end of the circular flue 22 and also with the end portions of the radial flues 23,- the ends of the quadrant tubes being extended-a substantial distance beyond the end of the cylindric shell for that purpose.

As well shown in Figs. 3 and 6, a rim ring 38 may be secured to the open end of the conical extension 29 of the quadrant tubes as by a flange 38a surrounding and welded to the free end thereof. A short tubular intake neck 39 forming a restricted intake opening may be secured by a flange 39a to the riin ring 38, and is provided with a face flange 39b against which the rim of a stationary intake head 40 provided with fuel feed pipe 40a, preferably provided with a valve, not shown, may-abut for closing the intake end of the retort; which stationary head may be supported for a yielding rim pressure against the face flange of the neck in the manner set forth but not to be claimed in my copending application filed January 13, 1925, Serial No. 2,146, and described more fully hereinbelow, with respect to which closure, the present application is a continuation of that application.

The truncated end of the conical-extension 35b of the stationary head 35 surrounds a cylindric bearing flange 41 on the flange 39a of the intake neck 39; and a gas-tight swivel joint 42 is provided between the truncated end of the hood and the bearing flange for completing the closure of. the gas chambe'r 3'7 surrounding the intake end extension of the quadrant tubes.

As shown in Fig. 3, a rotary hood 43 is located around the discharge end of the retort, and may include a c'ylindric portion 43a somewhat larger in diameter than the cylindric shell, and having one end permanently secured to the end thereof as by means of annular angle flanges 44 and 44a, and also a truncated cone-shaped portion 43b on the other end surrounding the end portion of the conical extension 30 on the discharge ends of the quadrant tubes 21; so as to form an enlarged heating gas chamber 45 around the same communicating with the end of the circular-flue 22 and also with the end portions of the radial does 23, the ends of the quadrant tubes being extended a; substantial distance beyond the end of the cylindric shell for that purpose. A discharge tube 30b extends from the trim-'- cated end of the conical extension 30 on the discharge endof the quadrant tubes, into the side of a stationary discharge drum 46, which is provided with a gas-tight swivel joint 47 around the end of the discharge tube 30b and with a valved discharge spout 46a for the coal balls or other processed materials flowing through the quadrant tubes and carried from the conical extensions 30 into and through the discharge tube 30b as by means of suitably curved conveyer flanges 3.00 and 30d provided therein.

A stationary receiving drum 48 for heating gases is located around the discharge tube 30b, one side of which drum is provided with a gastight swivel joint 49 around the discharge tube 30b, and the other side of which drum is provided with a gas-tight swivel joint 50 around the cylindric neck with the small free end 430 of the conical extension of the rotary hood 43.

The receiving drum 48 communicates with a tubular conduit 51 leading from a source of supply of heating gases, and provided with suitable means, as a centrifugal blower not shown, for impelling the gases into the receiving chamber 45, through the dues of the retort, and to the enlarged chamber 37, the flues of the retort, the enlarged chamber 37, and the outlet conduit 52 leading therefrom.

The gas-tight swivel joints 36, 42, 47, 49 and 50 between exterior and interior cylindric members, are all substantially alike, excepting as to diameter, and minor details, and in all cases one of the swivel bearing members is suspended or sustained by inclined supporting links so as to press yieldingly by its own weight against the other swivel bearing member, and accommodate itself to the endwise movements and the weaving of the rotary retort, in the manner set forth for the inlet end closing head in said pending application. Serial No. 2,146.

As shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the intake en'd head 40 is supported from below by links 53, the upper ends of which form bearings for trunnions' 40b extending laterally on opposite sides of the head, preferably in the horizontal diameter thereof. The lower ends of these links are provided with adjustable balls 53' seated in bearings 53" for permitting limited oscillation and turning, and

the links are inclined upward toward the retort, so that the weight of the head acts to press the, heads against the end of the retort; and at the same time the head is free to move inward and outward and to swing upon its trunnion bearings, and. also upon the ball bearings of the supporting links, so as to accommodate itself to the endwise. and weaving movement of the end of the retort. The frictional pressure of the intake head may be cushioned by the resistance of coil compression springs as 400 bearing against the abutment ring of the swivel joint 42 at the end of the stationary housing 35., If desired, the stationary heads may be suspended from aboveby cables with adjustable links, in the manner described below for the abutment ring of the swivel joints. I

A description of one of the swivel joints will suffice for all of them, and as shown in Fig. 9, each Joint may include an annular flange 54 secured as by rivets 54' around the end'of one of the stationary members of the retort, an annularflange 55 secured as by welding around the adsleeve extending between and secured to, as by wrapping cables 58:: around the abutment ring and the annular flange on the stationary member.

The annular flange 55 is preferably provided with a cylindric extension 55a, having its free end. machined to form a smooth bearing 55a for the machined end 56a of the abutment ring; and the abutment ring is preferably suspended by adjustable links, as 53a shown in Fig. 7, so inclined that the weight of the abutment ring 56 presses its bearing end 56a yieldingly against the bearing face 5541 on the annular flange 55, for effecting a closure of the joint. For convenience of assembly, the annular ring 55 and the abutment ring 56 are preferably made in sections with ears 59, 59a and 59b on their ends, by which they may be secured together as by bolts 59c; and the gravity pressure of the abutment may be supplemented by the weighted pulley 565 at the bottom of the joint.

The end 5411 of the stationary member is free to move endwise a limited extent around the cylindric sleeve 57, which telescopes therein to compensate for longitudinal expansion and contraction arising from variations in the temperature, and the closure of the joint is completed by the flexible band 58, which may be made of asbestos cloth or other heat resisting material, and is provided with enough fullness to accommodate the relative movements of the parts to which it is connected.

The gas tight swivel joints 47 and 49 between the rotary discharge tube 30b and the stationary coal ball discharge drum 46 and the gas receiving drum 48, respectively, are similarly formed by a ring 550 secured to the discharge tube at a spaced interval from its end and having its opposite ends faced, operating against faced flanged thimbles 56c telescoped around the discharge tube and into the stationary drums 46 and 48, respectively, and being connected therewith by flexible bands 58c forming ring bellows surrounding. and closing the joint; the flanged thimbles being spaced from the respective drums and being supported by inclined links, as 53 or 53a, so as to press yieldingly against the abutting faced ends of the ring 55, to accommodate endwise movement of the discharge tube. a

In the operation of the retort, arranged as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 and the cylindric shell with the quadrant tubes therein being in rotation upon its axis, coal or other fuel to be thermodized or carbonized is received into the conical intake chamber 29 through the feed pipe 4041 from a suitable source of supply, and flows thence into the several quadrant tubes as they are rotated successively into their lower positions, whence the coal flows through the quadrant tubes at a rate determined by the inclination and rate of rotation of the retort to .the discharge end thereof and into the conical discharge chamber 30, whence it is conveyed as by lifters 30c and the spiral flange 30d into and through the discharge neck 30b, from which it is delivered into the stationary discharge drum 46 and the discharge spout 46a.

During the flow of coal through the retort as described, it is heated for thermodizing or carbonizing as the case may be, by heating fluids or gases received under an impelling pressure through the tubular conduit'51 into the stationary receiving drum 48 surrounding the fuel discharge neck 30b; whence the heating gases flow through the gas receiving chamber 45 surrounding the fuel discharge end of the retort into and through the circular, radial and triangular flues surrounding the several quadrant tubes, to the fuel intake end of the retort; whence it flows from the flues into the enlarged stationary hood chamber 37 surrounding the fuel intake end of the retort and escapes through the conduit 52 which may lead therefrom through a heating furnace, not shown, to the impeller for again circulating through the retort.

For a thermodizing process, it is preferred to maintain a temperature of from 450 to 600 F. in the fuel within the quadrant tubes, and for a low temperature carbonizing or a coal ball process, a temperature up to 975 F. in the fuel may be maintained in the quadrant tubes; and the temperature of the heating gases flowing through the flues should be such as to maintain the desired temperature within the quadrant tubes.

In the operation of retorts heated by the flow of gas or other fluid,,it has been found that the maximum transfer of heat through the steel shell of the retort is best accomplished by the flow of heating gases through comparatively narrow flues in a stream about 2 or 2 inches thick, at a high velocity of 50 feet per second and upwards, where the length of the retort is 60 feet or less. Thus the retort having a diameter of 8 feet, with 4 parallel quadrant tubes therein, spaced to form the communicating annular and radial flues, each having a width of from 2 or 2 inches, gives a total fiue orifice cross sectional area of some 1050 to 1350 square inches, which is a preferred flue orifice area for such a retort having an axial length of 60 feet or less. In retorts of greater diameters and longer lengths, the flue orifice area will be increased in proportion.

The heat which may be absorbed by the fuel ence and velocity; and it is obvious that when an indirect heating gas flows through the flues, a distance will be reached where the absorption of heat by the fuel will cool the heating gas to a temperature at which no more heat will be transmitted from the gas to the fuel.

The length of the retort, or rather the distance the heating gas shall flow, may be limited to meet this condition, or the flues may be increased in width to meet the heat requirements of larger lengths, and when the fuel must not only be beated to a given temperature, but must also be held at such temperature until the process is completed, it may be necessary to divide the flues into two or more longitudinal sections, or to increase the orifice of the flues and to provide for an independent fiow of heating gases through each section, either in the same direction or in opposite directions, as may be desired.-

Such a modification of the apparatus is illustrated in Fig. 11 of the drawings, wherein the retort may be constructed substantially the same as already described, but with a length of 100 feet and upwards. In such a retort, the sector tubes may continue from end to end, or only part way; but the heating gas flues are divided by a cross partition 60 welded to both sectors and retort wall in the circular radial and triangular flues, located at a point intermediate theends of the retort so as to form a separate series of flues in each end half of the retort.

An annular drum 61 is provided around the cylindric shell, having gas-tight swivel joints 61a. therewith at a substantial distance from the plane of the cross partition 60; which drum is divided peripheral wall of the drum in the plane of the cross partition 60.

An annular series of slots 63 is provided in the cylindric shell opening into each one of the annular chambers 62 so as to give a free communication between the same and the several flues in the corresponding end of the retort: and each annular chamber is provided with a tubular outlet or inlet 6211 or 62b, as the case may be, for communicating with suitable conduits for receiving or discharging heating gases for circulating one way or another through the flues in the respective sections of the retort.

By these means, heating gases may circulate in the same direction, either with or countercurrent to the flow of fuel therein, or the heating gases may be circulated in different directions, either both from the annular drum each way to the ends of the retort, or vice versa, as may be desired for the particular process for which the retort may he used.

In all cases, the cross area of the heating gas chambers at the ends of the retort, and the annular chambers at the middle thereof, as well as the total cross area of each series of slots 63,v is equal to or slightly larger than the total cross area of all the flues between and around the sector tubes, so that the heating gases will iiow into and along the radial and triangular flues as well as the annular flue, for uniformly heating all of the walls of the sector tubes. If need be, suitable baiiles may be provided in the flues to direct the flow of heating gases therethrough.

In the manufacture of coal balls, it has been 'found that the fuel under treatment absorbs the heat more rapidly and in a greater amount during the plastic stage before the coal halls are formed, than after the balls are formed; and

that the productive capacity of the rotary apparatus can be materially increased by facilitating the movement of the fuel so as to flow in a thinner layer during the plastic stage until the balls are formed, and then retarding the coal to flow in a thicker layer after the balls are formed.

This has been done by providing a spiral flange about eight inches wide and one and one-third turns with an interval of about twelve inches between the overlapping ends, as shown at 64 in Fig. 1, in each sector tube at about one-third of its length from the intake end, at the place where the coal balls have been formed; which flange acts as a screw conveyer to urge the fuel forward and to prevent a backward pressure therefrom during the plastic stage and insures a free flow of the fuel in a thin layer during the ball forming period of the process.

It is also preferred to provide an arcuate flange 65, extending inward from the peripheral wall of each sector tube, to form a baflie or barrier to retard the flow of formed balls, and cause them to flow in a thicker layer through the last two-thirds of the length of the tubes, after the tial awalls of the sector tubes at the discharge ends thereof, with aninterval of about two inches between the ends 66' of the flange baflles and the side walls of. the tubes, so as to prevent a discharge of the larger balls from the tubes until they form a layer higher than the flange baflle, while permitting the smaller balls to pass through the interval between the ends of the baflles and the radial walls of the tubes.

By placing one or more screw conveyer flanges in proper places in the lengths of the tubes and providing flanged barriers at the outlet end thereof, the flow' of fuel through the tube and the thickness of the layer thereof can be controlled as may be desirable or necessary for the particular purposes of the process which may be performed in the apparatus.

I claim:-

l. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, and a plurality of tubes therein approximately cross sectional sectors of the shell and longitudinally parallel to the axis thereof and uniformly spaced from the shell and from each of the adjacent tubes to form a flue annular in cross section between the tubes and the shell and flues radial in cross section between adjacent tubes, said radial flues communicating inwardly with each other and outwardly with the annular flue.

2. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, and a plurality of sector tubes therein parallel to the axis thereof and spaced from the shell and from each other to form an annular flue between the tubes and the shell and radial flues between adjacent tubes, said radial flues communicating inwardly with each other and outwardly with the annular flue and all the flues being from two to two and onehalf inches in width for each sixty feet of axial length. l v

3. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, and a plurality of sector tubes therein parallel to the axis thereof and spaced from the shell and from each other to form an annular flue between the tubes and the shell and radial flues between adjacent tubes, said radial flues communicating inwardly with each other and outwardly with the annular flue,

and means for impelling heating gases through the flues.

4. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, and a plurality of sector tubes therein parallel to the axis thereof and spaced from the shell and from each other to mm an annular flue between the tubes and the shell and radial flues between adjacent tubes, said radial flues communicating inwardly with each other and outwardly with the annular flue and all the flues being from two to two and one-half inches in width for each sixty feet of axial length, and means for impelling heating gases through the flues.

5. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, and a plurality of sector tubes therein parallel to the axis thereof and spaced from the shell and from each other to form an annular flue between the tubes and the shell and radial flues between adjacent tubes, said radial flues communicating inwardly with each other and outwardly with the annular flue, and conical intake and discharge extensions on opposite ends of the sector tubes.

6. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, and a plurality of tubes therein approximately cross sectional sectors of the shell and longitudinally parallel to the axis thereof and uniformly spaced from the shell and from each of the adjacent tubes to form a flue annular in cross section between the tubes and the shell and flues radial in cross section between adjacent tubes, said radial flues communicating inwardly with each other and outwardly with the annular flue, and means closing the radial flues at each end of the tubes.

7. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, and a plurality of sector tubes therein parallel to the axis thereof and spaced from the shell and from each other to form an annular flue between the tubes and the shell and radial flues between adjacent tubes, said radial flues communicating inwardly with each other and outwardly with the annular flue, and conical intake and discharge extensions on opposite ends of the sector tubes, and means closing the radial flues at each end of the tubes.

8. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, and a plurality of sector tubes therein parallel to the axis thereof and spaced from the shell and from each other to form an annular flue between the tubes and the shell and radial flues between adjacent tubes, said radial flues communicating inwardly with each other and outwardly with the annular fine, and conical intake and discharge extensions on opposite ends of the sector tubes, means closing the radial flues at each end of the tubes, and a head supporting each end of the retort forming a chamber communicating with the ends of the annular flue and therethrough with the radial flues.

9. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, and a steel tube container therein parallel to the axis thereof and having an inside wall area in square feet substantially equal to its internal volume in cubic feet.

10. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, and a steel tube container therein parallel to the axis thereof and having an inside wall area in square feet substantially equal to its internal volume in cubic feet, there being an annular flue between the shell and the container from two to two and one-half inches in width for each sixty feet of axial length.

11. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, and a steel tube container therein parallel to the axis thereof and having an inside wall area in square feet substantially equal to its internal volume in cubic feet, there being an annular flue between the shell and the container, and means for impelling heating gases through the flue.

12. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, a steel tube container therein parallel to the axis thereof and forming a flue between the container and the shell, a cross partition transversely of the retort in the flue intermediate the ends of the retort dividing the flue transversely into sections along the retort, and means for impelling heating gases through each of the flue sections from one end to the other thereof.

13. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal, said shell being mounted for rotation on its axis and having an annular bearing face on one end thereof, a nonrotary head for said end of the retort having a rim face abutting the annular bearing face, tr'lmnions extending laterally on two opposite sides of the head, and inclined links with ball and socket bearings on the lower ends and having bearings supporting the trunnions on their upper ends for yieldingly pressing the head by gravity against the end of the retort.

14. A cylindric shell retort having its axis slightly inclined from the horizontal, said shell being mounted for rotation on its axis and having an annular bearing face on one end thereof, a non-rotary head for said end of the retort having a rim face abutting the annular bearing face, link means yieldingly pressing the head against the end of the retort, and spring means cushioning said pressure by resisting the same.

15. A tubular retort including a rotary cylindric member having its axis slightly inclined from the horizontal and a non-rotary member at one end thereof, said members being communicably connected by a swivelled joint including an annular bearing face on the one, an abutment ring bearing against said annular face, and means supporting the abutment ring yieldingly pressing it by gravity against the annular'bearing face.

16. A tubular retort including a rotary cylindric member having its axis slightly inclined from the horizontal and a non-rotary member at one 0 end thereof, said 'inembers'being communicably connected by a swivelled joint including an annular bearing face on the one, an abutment ring bearing against said annular face with a yielding pressure and having a sleeve on its other end telescoping into the adjacent end of the other member, and a flexible band connecting the abutment ring and said adjacent end around the telescoping sleeve.

17. A cylindric shell retort having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, a plurality of tubes contained therein, approximately cross sectional sectors of the shell and longitudinally parallel to the axis thereof, a common header uniting the sector tubes at each end and forming therewith a coal container, the sector tubes being uniformly spaced from the shell and from each of the adjacent tubes to form a flue annular in cross section between the-tubes and the shell and heating flues radial in cross section between the adjacent tubes.

18. A tubular retort including a cylindric shell having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, a tubular coal container therein parallel to the axis thereof and extending beyond the ends of the surrounding shell, stationary cylindric housings of substantially the same diameter as the outer shell covering the end portions of the coal container, there being annular bearing faces on opposite ends of the outer shell, abutting rings yieldingly pressing against said annular bearing faces, and means for supporting the abutting rings and yieldingly pressing them against said annular bearing faces.

19. A tubular retort including a cylindric shell having its axis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis, a tubular coal container therein parallel to the axis thereof and extending beyond the ends of the surrounding women shell, stationary cylindric housings of substantially the same diameter as the outer shell covering the end portions of the coal container, there being annular bearing faces on opposite ends of the outer shell, abutting rings yieldingly pressing against said annular bearing faces, means for supporting the abutting rings and yieldingly pressing them against said annular bearing faces, the said abutting rings having sleeves telescoping the adjacent ends of the stationary housings, and a flexible band connecting the abutting rings and said adjacent ends around the telescoping sleeves.

20. A tubular retort including a cylindric shell having its axis inclined from the horizontal, said shell being mounted for rotation on its. axis, and having a housing at each end thereof, a plurality of sector tubes contained therein parallel to the axis thereof and extending beyond the ends of the surrounding shell into the housings, and a common header uniting the sector tubes at each end and forming therewith a coal container, the sector tubes being spaced from the outer shell and from each other to form an annular flue between the tubes and the shell and radial heating fiues between the tubes, the dues having a combined orifice cross-sectional area of from 1050 to 1350 square inches for each sixty feet in axial length of an eight foot diameter retort, with the same relative proportions in other lengths and diameters.

21. A tubular retort including a cylindric shell having its axis inclined from the horizontal, said shell being mounted for rotation on its axis and having a housing at each end thereof, a plurality of sector tubes contained therein parallel to the axis thereof, and extending beyond the ends of the surrounding shell into the housings, a common header including the sector tubes at each end and forming therewith a coal container, the sector tubes being spaced from the outer shell and from each other to form an annular flue between the tubes and the shell and radial heating lines between the tubes, and means for impelling heating gases through the lines at a velocity of at least fifty feet per second.-

22. A tubular retort including a cylindric shell having its axis inclined from the horizontal, said shell being mounted for rotation on its axis and having a housing at each end thereof, a plurality of sector tubes contained therein parallel to the axis thereof and extending beyond the ends of the surrounding shell into the housings, there being radial fiues between the tubes, and a common header uniting the sector tubes at each .end closing the radial dues and providing means for receiving coal into and discharging the residue from the sector tubes.

23. A tubular retort including a cylindric shell having its axis inclined from the horizontal, said shell being mounted for rotation on its axis and having a housing at each end thereof, a plurality of sector tubes contained therein parallel to the axis thereof and extending beyond the ends of the surrounding shell into the housings, there being radial flues between the tubes, and a common header uniting the sector tubes at each end closing the radial dues and providing means for receiving coal into and discharging the residue from the sector tubes, the sector tubes having an interior wall area in square feet substantially equal to the contained volume of the outer shell in cubic feet.

24. A tubular retort including a. cylindric shell having its axis inclined from the horizontal, said shell being mounted for rotation omits axis and having a housing at each end thereof, a steel tube container therein parallel to the axis thereof and extending beyond the ends of the surrounding shell into the housings, a header at each end of said container providing means for receiving coal into and discharging the residue therefrom, there being space between the tube and housings forming an annular flue, and means for impelling heating gases through the flue at a velocity greater than fifty feet per second.

25. A tubular retort including a cylindric shell having its axis inclined from the horizontal, said shell being mounted for rotation on its axis and having housings on each end thereof, a coal container therein parallel to the axis thereof and extending beyond the ends of the surrounding shell into the housings, there being annular-bearings on the opposite ends of the coal container, non-rotating heads covering said ends and having rimmed faces abutting the annular bearing faces, trunnions on opposite sides of the heads, and inclined links with bearings on their ends supporting the trunnions and yieldingly pressing the heads against the bearing faces.

26. A tubular retort mounted for rotation on its axis inclined from the horizontal, including a cylindric outer shell and a plurality of sector tubes forming an elongated fuel container therein parallel to the axis thereof, the tubes being spaced from each other and from the surrounding shell and forming radial flues between the tubes and an annular flue between the tubes and the shell, a central tube spaced from said tubes and forming an inner annular flue between the sector tubes and the central tube, the said annular iiues communicating with each other through said radialtubes, the said fuel container extending beyond the ends of the outer shell and having restricted end openings, cylindric end housings of substantially the same diameter as the outer shell covering the extending portions of the fuel container and the ends with restricted end openings, said end housings and outer shell forming the outer wall of said annular flue, the said end housings being independently mounted on foundations parallel to the axis of the fuel container.

27. A tubular retort mounted for rotation on its axis inclined from the horizontal, including a cylindric outer shell and a fuel container therein extending beyond the ends of the outer shell, stationary end housings covering the extending end portions of the container, an expansion joint between the rotary and the stationary members, comprising an abutment ring having one end faced and communicably connecting the said rotary and stationary members and being supported by adjustable cables, a faced flange on the rotary member abutting the faced end of the abutment ring, the opposite end of the abutment ring telescoping the stationary member, and a flexible asbestos cloth ring bellows attached to the telescoping members near the adjacent ends thereof and surrounding and closing the telescoping joint.

28. A tubular retort mounted its axis inclind from the horizontal, including a cylindric outer'shell and a plurality of sector tubes therein forming an elongated fuel .container, said sector tubes communicating with each other at their ends, a restricted intake opening on one end of the fuel container, an annular bearing surface around the intake opening, an annular head with a. fixed rim flange abutting the said annular bearing surface, trunnions on for rotation on 1 opposite sides of the head, and independent means supporting the trunnions having bearings at right angles to the container axis.

29. A tubular retort mounted for rotation on its axis inclined from the horizontal, including a cylindric outer shell and a plurality of sector tubes therein united at their ends into and forming an elongated unitary fuel container parallel to the axis thereof with a discharge tube on one end of restricted diameter, in combination with an annular discharge drum independently mounted at right angles to the axis of the fuel container with an annular opening facing the discharge tube and fitting loosely over it, a faced ring spaced from the end of the discharge tube and attached to it facing the drum, a faced flanged thimble telescoping the discharge tube and abutting said flanged ring and supported by adjustable cables, a flexible asbestos cloth ring bellows attached to said thimble and having its other end attached to the drum, the drum being spaced away from the ring to accommodate endwise movement of the discharge tube in the stationary drum.

30. A tubular retort mounted for rotation on its axis inclined from the horizontal, including a cylindric outer shell and a plurality of sector tubes therein united at their ends into an elonaxis inclined from the horizontal and mounted for rotation on its axis for tumbling and advancing the fuel from the intake to the discharge end thereof, a spiral flange in the tubular container intermediate the ends thereof, for facilitating the movement of the fuel in a thin stream during the plastic stage and an arcuate flange in the discharge end of the tubular container for retarding the movement of the fuel in a thicker stream subsequent to the plastic stage of the carbonizing and ball forming process.

32. A retort including a steel tubular container mounted for rotation on an axis inclined from the horizontal and having an inside wall area in square feet substantially equal to its internal volume in cubic feet, walls forming a flue surrounding the tubular container, said flue having a width from two to two and one-half inches for each sixty feet of axial length, and means for impelling heating gases through the flue.

33. A retort including'a steel tubular container mounted for rotation on an axis inclined from the horizontal and having an inside wall area in square feet substantially equal to its internal volume in cubic feet, and walls forming a flue surrounding the tubular container, said flue having a width from two to two and one-half inches for each sixty feet of axial length.

34. A retort including a steel tubular container mounted for rotation on an axis inclined from the horizontal, and walls forming a flue surrounding the tubular container said flue having a width from two to two and one-half inches for each sixty feet of axial length.

35. A retort including a steel tubular container mounted for rotation on an axis inclined from the horizontal and having an inside wall area in square feet substantially equal to its internal volume in cubic feet.

CLARENCE B. WISNER. 

